South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-05-27
THE SUEZ CANAL.
How Traffic Along the Great
Ditch is Controlled.
The Movements Of the Vessels Directed
From IN Ofics Near Saes.

A writer In the London Saturday Re
view describes how the traffic along the
Suez Canal is directed and controlled
from the Office at Terreplcin, near Suez.
The number of ships in the canal at tho
same time Is sometimes very great On
the 9Th Of December last, for example,
fifteen steamers c'carcd the canal, Of
which seven were outward-bound. On
the previous day nine ships cleared, and
on the following day seven, SO that dur
ing the 9th somo thirty ships were prob
ably at one timo in the canal. Some
times there arc as many as forty, and all
are completely under the control of tho
French gentleman sitting ut his desk in
an upper chamber. at Tcrreplcin. Tho
method Of working is exceedingly
simple. Against the wall at ono
side OF the room is
narrow shelf or platform, along which
runs groove. At intervals this trough
or grove has deep recesses, and at two
places these recesscs arc Of larger SIZE.
This trough or groove represents the ca
nal. The rccesses are the s.dings. The
largcr intervals arc the Great Bitter Lake
and Lake Timsoh. When a vessel has
been signaled and is about to enter tho
canal at, say, the Suez end, small toy
boat or model, three or four inches long,
is chosen to represent her. A group OF
these model ships stands ready beside
the modcl-canal, each furnished with a
flag. About forty have the English flag
ten or dozen the French flag, and so on
with other nationalitic,. As the steamer
comes up and her name is known it is
written on paper and placed on the toy
boat. The whole number OF ships thus
actually in the canal at any moment can
be seen at glance; and, rs the tele-
graphic signal, give notice, the toy
boats arc moved along, or placed in a
siding, or shown traversing one of the
lakes at full speed. Signals are sent
from the Office to the various '.gares"
prescribing the siding at which each
ship must stop to let another meet
and pass it. The official who is on duty
keeps the models moving as he receives
notice, taking care when perhaps two
ships going in opp' 5 tie directions are
both nearing the same siding to give
timely warning to the pilots in charge by
means Of the signal-balls and flags as
station under his control from the Office,
and to direct which of the two is TO lie
up and which to proceed. Barring acct
dents, the whole arrangement goes like
clockwork; the clerk can read off in a
moment the name, tonnage, nationality,
draft, and actual situation of every
steamer; he can tell what pilot she has
on board, what is Ler bread tn of beam.
what rate she is moving at, and every
III ng else which has to be known about
her; and he is able without an effort to
govern all her movements, to prescribe
the place where she is to pass the night,
and the hour which she is to get under
way in the morning. although he does
not see her, and probably never saw her in
his life. The fees which vessels pay for
passing through the canal are often
enormous. Some of the large liners of
the T. & o. or the Orient service pay as
much as e1s0O in making single tran
SIT. For every passenger half napo-
leon, or eight sliillings four pence, is
charged. Three-fourths of the ships
that go through the canal are English.